HORSHAM Highway Patrol Sergeant Wayne Caddy believes many crashes in the region last month could have been prevented.

He has urged people to drive responsibly after there were seven crashes in the Horsham police service area in May.

Sgt Caddy said his comments did not extend to a fatal crash at Vectis two weeks ago.

A Vectis man, 43, died and another man was injured in the two-car incident.

Sgt Caddy said Victoria Police’s Major Crash Investigation Unit was still investigating the crash.

“The majority of the other collisions resulted in minor injuries,” he said.

“The unfortunate thing in most of these collisions is that they were not accidents.

“They were collisions, where one party involved had failed to pay due diligence.

“We have had cars going through give way signs, a bicycle riding into the path of a car, drivers running up the rear of one another in Firebrace Street, a car reversing out of a parking space and into a person on a mobility scooter, and other collisions where alcohol might have been involved.”

He said police believed a medical condition was to blame for a car crashing into a tree near Dimboola.

Police believe another crash was linked to a domestic situation.

“The collisions have been spread out over the month and throughout the Horsham police service area, which includes Horsham, Hindmarsh and West Wimmera municipalities,” Sgt Caddy said.

“We just ask that people be responsible about how they drive.

“Most of these collisions would not have happened if drivers and pedestrians paid due diligence to what they were doing.”

A series of articles by Fairfax Media has highlighted the impact of serious road injuries.

Monash Accident Research Centre associate director Stuart Newstead told The Age serious injuries accounted for almost 80 per cent of the total trauma costs to society.

While the road toll has dropped almost 40 per cent since 2000-01, serious injuries have fallen by less than 10 per cent.